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Health worries about artificial turf gain footing
Bob Kowalski Sports & FitnessWhen it comes to athletic field surfaces, artificial turf has gained ground on natural grass. In recent years, synthetic turf has replaced grass on municipal and school fields that bear nearly year-round traffic of football, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, baseball and softball games — not to mention the daily workouts for which those teams use the fields.
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Teaching behavior safety is just ‘common sense’
Michael S. Haro, Ph.D. Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBehavior safety is "common sense." To understand why, let's start by comparing computer hardware and software — another common-sense issue. For a computer, hardware makes it an object. Sitting there, it gives an appearance of significance. It even scares some people by its appearance, and what we've been told it can do. Yet it has little value if it only occupies space on a desk. Without software, it's worthless.
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership’s impact on small businesses in Canada
Katherine Radin Civil & GovernmentAfter years of negotiation, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was signed this fall by 12 Pacific Rim countries to open up global trading opportunities. Not since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have countries seen such an impactful trade block. While NAFTA consists of an agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, the TPP represents about 40 percent of the world's gross domestic product.
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The pros and cons of promotions for women leaders
Betty Boyd Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementGetting a promotion is one of the unheralded rewards in the ladder of success. A recent Harvard Business School study found that women have a different view on promotions than men. This study indicated that women are more likely to anticipate negative outcomes in obtaining success in the workplace.
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Drones are a rapidly developing issue — on both sides of the law
Bob Kowalski Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityWe've heard plenty about drones recently, but even with all that information, we still can't figure out the answer to this question: Whose side are they on? There's little doubt drones are capable of providing beneficial services and performing tasks that cannot be accomplished by people or other devices. They also hold the potential to bring headaches to law enforcement agencies around the world — a situation that has already begun.
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Take a trip to America’s newest national parks
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureWhile conservationists have cheered President Barack Obama's unprecedented designation of 19 new national park units over the last three years, the big winners may be travelers who get improved access and interpretation at sites across the country that commemorate scenery, history and heroic figures.
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Illinois budget cuts hindering police training at a crucial time
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityLaw enforcement agencies have been facing a lot of flak recently for the rising crime wave. Seems a big part of the blame should instead go to the financial downturn and subsequent cuts to police budgets.
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Disaster: 6 actions to avoid leaving the elderly and disabled in danger
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationThe recent wildfires once again shine a light on the importance of increased attention to the needs of the elderly and disabled during disaster planning, response and recovery phases. Nearly 75 percent of those who died in the Hurricane Katrina disaster were older than 60. Two years later, busloads of elderly and disabled were evacuated from care facilities in San Diego County, but were left stranded and trapped by flames as wildfires raged.
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The end of the 40-year-old crude export ban?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesAfter 40 years, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill on the floor to lift the ban on exporting crude oil from the U.S. Implemented during the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, the export ban has turned into a controversial issue with the U.S. becoming the largest producer of oil after Saudi Arabia in recent years.
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Driver beware: You never know who is watching
Frank R. Myers Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityVideo recording is everywhere — from personal cellphones to highway and street cameras that record everything from traffic flow to red-light runners. Therefore, it's a good idea for public safety officials to always act as though they're being recorded.
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